₦airaland Forum

Ann2012:
Shift for me jor

Come and sit beside me if there's no space there.

Elvictor:
but aunt Mill, why so much secrets and oceans in your stories, are you from Niger Delta?

Maybe in my past life.

.........

.........

........

Sorry, I've modified the link

.......

This book is dedicated to Elvictor, for prompting up the idea.

I hope you find that love you were looking for.

P.S. None of the characters are OOS related. Sit back and relax, cause I gat you.

Theme song: Put your hearts up by Ariana Grande.

Hi guys,

Sorry for the silence. (Before you file a missing person report, I'm okay.)

The past few days have been pretty hectic and Ikeja Electric has been doing us strong thing here. Since Saturday no light. Thank Master Jesus, it was restored yesterday evening.


Sooo.....

As most know, my birthday is on Friday. And I have a little bonus book wrapped up for you guys. I begin posting today and the grand finale of the story will go up on my birthday.


Don't worry. OOS is going nowhere. This book is pretty short. I just haven't had the time to write more episodes due to the no light ish.

enirock:
Love finds us all again and calm should you be. The change of scenery/work should help you cope but don't over immerse yourself. Learn, heal and move on. You would be alright dear. Hope the environment is good and work's not too stressful? Thanks for the updates and welcome back. Anita has so many reasons to stay but her hurts is blinding her to see that nature is begging her to stay. Nathan, your own dey your body but happiness in marriage is very necessary and the heart wants what the heart wants. Jameel, you are too good for love to pass you by, alast that's what fate has in stock. Thanks Culin. I dey wait to see how Nathan papa go take am and that devious blackmailing entity on the altaR with her threat.

Guy are you sure you are not a philosopher, bayii

OMG

I just read about the breakup.

Are you okay?


Do you need us to go break his bones? I run an assassination Service, you know. Ask morshood22, he'll testify to my services.


On a more serious note, I hope you are good.

Don't cry it's over, smile it happened.

Take care of yourself boo.

Love ya.

Hey baby


How've you been? Congrats on the new job. I tap into the anointing. I'm so tired of getting fat at home.

So my birthday is the 28th, so you haven't missed it.

P.S. I'm not giving back the dedication though.


Thanks for the dedication. You're an inspiration to me as well. I'll be continuing with OOS on Wattpad because of you.


Anyway,


I feel for Annabelle (don't hate on me)


It's better not to show up than to humiliate someone in front of guests.


I once wrote a story where the mother left the family to take care of her health. I think it's a terrible, scarring decision to leave and never look back. It's one of the worst things a parent can do to a child.

And as for Jameel *sigh* I hope you find love. This is the first time I've ever rooted for the second best. Somehow this reminds me of Triumph of Love. Jameel reminds me so much of Alonso(without the chronic disease)

Eni, I honestly don't know.

Nathan's still shoddy to me, so I can't give you advice. Trust your heart. Well, since you complained it's not in the right place, trying praying about it.

Culin, I missed you.


Please, keep us in mind o. I know work can be tasking.

jadeliyi:
before reading any of Millie post drink one ... it helps thank me later.

Drink one what?

Ma ko ba mi

Hi people.....


So unfortunately there's no update today....

NEPA's fault.


But today is Uniquechild's birthday.



Happy birthday babe. Long life and prosperity. May God bless you and keep you and cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto.

May He give you a special birthday gift.


So sorry it's coming late.

This is actually awesome.

What I'd love is for us to have shows like KKB again with real, inspiring content, not the nonsense airing these days.

It wouldn't be bad to have indigenous African cartoons produced that tell African folklore and fairytales. Enough about Cinderella. Let our girls read and watch the untold stories about Moremi, Amina, Cleopatra.

morhsuud22:
Sis just edit your profile to female.

Lol. Criminal

enirock:
How come na only babes get this offer When you say bonus book, what do you mean?

I was offering the babes a chance at love with Elvictor.

The bonus book is a short story I'll upload on my birthday. I've even started writing.

Elvictor:
not a fan of romance but Milli you are excellent thus far.... hope to fall in love with a girl one day through your story.

LMAO.

Awwn, that would be a funny meetcute.

Love on the Thread. Hmmn, I just might write something about it.....

Ocean of Secrets, bonus book. My birthday gift to you guys.

Any babes interested though...

Ann2012, Culin, Oremeyii... Anybody

Episode 27 - Sisters.

Rosanna wondered who was at the door as she slipped on a pair of hotpants. Only her father, mum and step mother knew her new address. After Ose's persistence on trying to start a relationship with her, she'd gotten a loan from her father and gotten a mini-flat in Obalende. She couldn't be in the same space as him.

She buttoned up and walked to the door. Maybe it was her father's driver. He'd promised to send old furniture to her, together with some foodstuff. She didn't want them, but he'd insisted.

She only agreed if he collected the money she'd borrowed when she returned it. He accepted.

She unlocked the door and saw Seyifunmi smiling at her. She scoffed and tried to slam the door but Seyifunmi blocked it with her hand.

"What do you want?" She groaned and crossed her arms across her chest.

"I'm here to apologise." Seyifunmi said.

"And why should I listen to you?"

Seyifunmi smiled and brought a bottle of chocolate flavoured vodka out of the customized cloth bag she was holding.

"I brought vodka and small chops."

Rosanna sighed and said, "Come in."
Seyifunmi tittered and skipped in. She locked the door and gestured to Seyifunmi to take a seat in one of the throw pillow padded plastic armchairs.

Seyifunmi sat and Rosanna walked to get cups and plates. She set them down on the plastic stool beside Seyifunmi.

"Ro, I'm sorry. I was a total jerk, fool and-"

"The worst person in existence?" Rosanna supplied.

"That too. I'm so sorry. I'll do anything you want. Please forgive me. I miss my best friend." Seyifunmi whined.

Rosanna rolled her eyes.

"Please." Seyifunmi begged.

Rosanna sighed and said, "Fine. I forgive you."

Seyifunmi squealed and jumped out of her seat to hug her. Seyifunmi squeezed her as she chanted thank you.

"You're going to asphyxiate me!" Rosanna wheezed and Seyifunmi pulled away.

"Sorry."

She sat back in her seat and tittered nervously.

"So, what are waiting for? Pass me the small chops and spill. I know you have juicy gist with that look on your face." Rosanna said, laughing and stretched her hand out.

Seyifunmi dipped her hand into the bag and handed her two foil packs of small chops.

"Ooh! It's warm!" Rosanna cried in nirvana and ripped the cardboard lid away. She sniffed in the aroma and stabbed a puff-puff with a toothpick and threw it into her mouth.

Seyifunmi laughed and shook her head as Rosanna moaned.

"God, it's peppered puff." Rosanna groaned with her mouth full.

"You're cray." Seyifunmi said, laughing.

Rosanna stuck out her tongue after swallowing. "Na you sabi."

"Anyway, I have big news," Seyifunmi chippered and flipped open her saddlebag and brought out a ring and slipped it onto her left ring finger.

"Dele proposed!" She squealed and held out her hand.

"Holy f*uck!" Rosanna cried and set her foil pack down on the floor and examined the ring.

"Look at the size of that amethyst!" Rosanna said, running her thumb over the filigreed inlay.

"Point of correction. It's a real purple f*ucking diamond." Seyifunmi gloated.

"Shut up!" Rosanna said and raised her head bent over the ring.

"I'm serious. I didn't even know that there were purple diamond. It even came with a certificate of authenticity. I didn't even know they did that." Seyifunmi said with glee.

"Wow! Dele went all out, didn't he?" Rosanna said and picked up her foil plate.

"That's not even the best part." Seyifunmi said and took off the ring and handed it to Rosanna. "Check out the engraving."

Rosanna squinted as she examined the shank and caught the cursive writing written on the inside of the ring.

"My silver lining, my rainbow." Rosanna read smiling. "Awwn. Délé's so cute."

She looked at the inlay. "Are these leaves?"

Seyifunmi grinned. "Lavender leaves. The symbol of eternal love."

"Awwn."

"I swear, Dele shocked me. First, he took me to Seychelles. We spent close to a week there. God, Ro, it was freaking amazing. We came back and we went to dinner at this fancy Yoruba cuisine place and then he took me to a place, blindfolded me and led me to a lawn.

"And then he proposed. He gave the sweetest speech I've ever heard. And then, he proposed while the sprinklers were on signifying the rain that fell on our first date. And right in front of our new house!" Seyifunmi recounted.

"Shut up!" Rosanna shouted. "You're joking, aren't you?"

"I swear, Ro. He f*ucking built a house, no, scratch that, a f*ucking mansion for us. And furnished it to my taste." Seyifunmi cried with tears brimming in her eyes. "He's amazing, Ro. And I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him."

Rosanna smiled, handed the ring back and said, "I'm really happ thanksy for you. At least, one of us ended up with our soulmates. Thank God, you didn't go through with your plan to put Tinu in her place."

Seyifunmi's smile died and she scratched her neck and Rosanna gasped.

"Seyifunmi Aladesuyi, what did you do?" Rosanna groaned.

"I messed up. I went through with it and then, talked to Dele and he explained everything to be a big misunderstanding." Seyifunmi said, contrite and slipped her ring back on.

"I told you, didn't I?" Rosanna said.

"I know."

"Have you apologised to her?"

"No!" Seyifunmi groaned. "She doesn't pick my calls, reply to my messages. I must have left her a million messages. Whenever I go to visit her, she's never around. I think she's avoiding me."

"Ya think?"

"Maybe she's forgiven me, but does not want to see me? She didn't say anything to Dele." Seyifunmi put in and Rosanna raised her brow.

"I doubt. Maybe you should come clean to Dele, so he can apologise to her on your behalf." Rosanna advised.

"He'll kill me!" Seyifunmi shouted. "Like when he explained, the first thing he said was thank God you didn't go pulling Tinu's hair or something. If I tell him I called Tinu a slut first before talking to him, hell flip."

"Well, you didn't do what a normal human being would do."

"I know. I just want to settle it without telling Dele."

"Okay. Whatever you say." Rosanna said.

"Anyway, how did you know this place?" Rosanna asked as she stuffed her mouth with a spring roll.

"Well, Ose."

"What?!" Rosanna shouted. "He knows here?"

"Are you running away from him?" Seyifunmi jived, laughing.

"No, but-"

"He got it from your Dad." Seyifunmi supplied.

"Dad!" Rosanna shouted in anger. "I told him not to give anyone my address."

"Well, when you call someone your best friend and date, he doesn't qualify as anyone." Seyifunmi said.

"Did Ose tell you what happened?" Rosanna said with her face coated with shame.

"I kinda pieced it together from the snippets he told me." Seyifunmi said as she poured herself some vodka.

"He told me he loves me." Rosanna said twirling a piece of beer battered shrimp around in the plate.

"Is that news to you?" Seyifunmi said and handed Rosanna a cup of vodka.

Ro's eyes popped out of her sockets. "You knew?"

"Ro, anyone with a pair of eyes could see it." Seyifunmi said and brought out a pack of small chops for herself.

Rosanna remembered her stepmother's comment. Was it that obvious? How did she not notice?

"I can't have a relationship with Ose. He's too-"

"Too what?"

"I don't know. I just can't. It's too soon." Rosanna said and took a sip of her vodka.

"It's been three years, Ro. It's okay to move on. It's okay to admit you're in love with Ose." Seyifunmi cooed and reached out to touch Rosanna's hand.

Rosanna scoffed. "It takes more than love to be in a relationship with someone. Dare proved that to me. It takes a certain level of trust. And after everything we went through, Dare still didn't trust me enough to save his daughter's life. Maybe I didn't deserve that trust."

She sniffled and blinked back tears.

"Why didn't you tell me Dare had a daughter?" Seyifunmi whispered.

"Because I want you get discouraged or to push Dele away because of what went down with me and Dare. I was trying to protect you." Rosanna said with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I feel like scum now." Seyifunmi said with tears pooling in her eyes.

Rosanna laughed, "It's okay. It's in the past."

"Can you tell me everything that happened?"

Episode 26 - Zones

Ose tried his very best to listen to the marketing techniques Mr. Koko was talking about. He really did. But his eyes trained on the fair hand on Rosanna's dark skin made his mind impenetrable to anything that wasn't the reason the big, pompous oaf had a hand on his girl.

The annoying part was the guy kept on traipsing round her like bee to blue flowers and Rosanna kept on giggling at the garbage he was spewing out of his mouth. The guy had been the only one who had left a negative review of his debut novel and now, he was dancing round his girl?

Rosanna burst into a hearty laughter at something the guy said and the guy joined her in laughter. Rosanna had her head tilted up in laughter, so she didn't see the lecherous look on the man's face. He stared at HIS girl like ant would look at a sugar cube.

"Ose!" Mr. Koko shouted and he turned to look at the man.

"I'm sorry, what?" Ose said, trying to keep his neck from turning.

"I said, Mr. Amaechi is here with his wife and we should go greet them." Mr. Koko drawled with his brows kissing his forehead in confusion.

"Oh!" Ose said and gave a weak smile, "Alright."

Mr. Koko led the way to the other side of the hall and he turned to look at Rosanna again.

He hoped she wouldn't balk if she saw her father. Thankfully, the bastard had taken his hand off of Rosanna. He followed the man till he came face to face with the man who owned the publishing house and the father of the woman he loved.

"Good evening, sir." Mr Koko greeted. "Good evening ma."

They responded with smiles and Ose greeted them as well.

"Well, if it isn't our money bag," Francis Amaechi said and turned to his wife, "he's our most lucrative writer till date."

"Congratulations, Mr. Lawrence." Mrs. Amaechi put in.

"Please, call me Ose. Mr. Lawrence is my father." Ose quipped and the buxom lady laughed heartily.

This woman was twice Rosanna's mum's size and yet, half her age. Seemed his soon to be father-in-law loved them big and young. Well, that was his business.

"Oh my God! Francis, is that Rosanna over there?" Mrs. Amaechi cried pointing across the hall. He turned and saw Rosanna talking animatedly with Desmond.

The man's eyes grew wider than his glasses as he stared in the direction his wife pointed.

"She's back in Nigeria? I thought she was never coming back." Francis Amaechi mused out loud.

"Maybe her marriage to Dare didn't work out." Mrs Amaechi whispered not so quietly.

Ose wanted to tell them just how heartbroken Dare's death and his disownment of her left her, but it wasn't his place.

"We should go and talk to her." Mrs. Amaechi suggested and her husband nodded.

"Please excuse us." The man said and left with his wife.

"I don't remember sending her an invite and she's not with the Amaechis. I hope she's not gate-crashing." Mr. Koko said frowning.

"She's with me. She's my girlfriend." Ose said proudly.

"Oh!" Mr. Koko said, ashamed.

*****

"Rosanna?!" She heard her father's voice call from behind her. She cringed and picked up her clutch. She wasn't going to wait for him to embarrass her and throw her out on her ear.

"I'm sorry I have to go." She told Desmond and made to leave.

"Rosanna, wait." Her father called and she halted in her tracks.

She spun to face him.

"I'm going already. No need to humiliate me further." She said.

She knew it was a bad idea coming here, but when Ose had begged her to be in attendance, she wasn't able to refuse him. Ose had been there for her in the darkest days of her life and he deserved her presence on the happiest days of his.

"I'm not here to humiliate you. I just wanted to see how you're doing and if Dare was treating you well." Her father said. Desmond slithered away under the glare of her stepmother. She scoffed at his yellow-heartedness.

All talk.

If it were Ose, he'd stand his ground. Anyway, they just met. She didn't expect him to put on chainmail for her.

She stiffened in defense. "What's it to you? I'm not your daughter."

"Rosanna." Her stepmother called in caution. She crossed her arms and her father gasped.

"Did he hurt you? Is that why you're divorced?" Her father whined in concern

"We never got married. He died." She answered with her voice cracking. She blinked back tears and clenched her jaws.

"I'm sure you're happy." She gritted.

"Of course not. I know how much he meant to you."

So you knew and you didn't want to give your blessings?

She scoffed again in irritation.

"It's been a slice, but I need to leave." She said and walked smack into Ose.

"Ro, it's been three years already. How long is this feud going to last?" He asked as he placed his hands on her arms.

"Rosanna, your friend is right." Her stepmother called from behind her.

"It's time to bury the hatchet." Ose whispered.

She groaned as tears stung her eyes. She wouldn't pretend that she didn't miss her father. The year they spent together was one of the best of her life.

Why did he have to reject Dare? If he hadn't they'd have gotten married sooner and maybe Dare would never have had the accident.

She didn't realize she'd been thinking out loud till Ose said, "He'd still have given his only functional kidney to Alicia."

She bit her lips to stop herself from crying. That was the hurtful part. That Dare broke his promise to wait till her return before signing the consent form.

Ose wiped off her tears with his thumbs and whispered, "You're more beautiful when you smile."

She stiffled a smile and said, "Still corny."

"Give a guy a break." Ose whined and she laughed.

She turned back to face her father.

"I'm sorry, Dad." She apologized.

"I'm sorry too, Rosanna." Her father said and held his arms wide open.

She took hesitant steps and hugged her father. Her stepmother cheered and clapped.

She pulled away and her father carressed her face. She beamed at him. She'd missed that.

"Thank you, Ose. I didn't know you knew my daughter." Her father said and she grinned.

"Then let me do the introductions then. Ose, my Dad and stepmother, Mr and Mrs Francis and Eugenia Amaechi. Dad, this is Ose, my best friend and date tonight."

She caught Ose's smile waning and turned to see what could have caused his frown. She didn't see anything out of the ordinary and she shrugged it off.

"Friends eh?" Her stepmom drawled, wagging her brows and grinning with a suspicious smirk. "It seems like there's more than friendship going on here."

"I thought I was the only one seeing it." Her father commented smirking.

She burst into laughter at how ludicrous it sounded. She and Ose? More than friends? They were imagining things.

"We're only friends," she reiterated and turned to Ose for support.

He gave a weak laugh and excused himself on the pretext of having to make a call.

Did something upset him?

She saw a weird look on her stepmom's face. Did she see what upset him?

"What?!" She asked in concern.

"Nothing," her father said, "Come on. Your godfather is here."

"Really?" She cried in excitement.


*****

She got out of the vehicle and slammed the door without waiting for him to kill the engine. If she was angry then he was boiling mad. How could she tell her father he was just her best friend and her date? For crying out loud, they were in a relationship, and that was the most disrespectful thing ever.

The most annoying thing was she was flirting around with different men. He thought the incident with Desmond Okoye was just innocent, but it wasn't. Not when she had gone on to flirt with another man who took her interest as an excuse to handle her and had cupped her breast at the bar.

He did the next thing any normal, red-blooded boyfriend would do when he saw that. He punched the man and asked him to stay away from his girlfriend. What right did he have to touch her? He was her boyfriend and he hadn't even gotten to second base yet.

She'd gotten angry at him for causing a scene, claiming she had the situation under control. He could see just how much control she had.

He hissed and turned off his car. He was going to have a heart-to-heart with her. His days of illicit hidden relationships were over. He wasn't going to go through the hiding and pretence he went through with Bibiana with her. Not her.

He got out of his car and walked to the stairs by the side of the building that led to his own quarter of the storey building. He jogged up the stairs and yanked the door open. He locked the metal door behind him and left the keys in the lock.

He walked to the living room and met her taking off her shoes.

"What the hell, Ose? What was that? You didn't have to punch the guy. I had everything under control." She shouted.

"Don't give me that shit, Rosanna. You expect me to sit by and watch another man handle you and just stay still?" He shouted back.

"Look, I know you care about me but I don't need you being my pretend boyfriend twenty-four-seven. I can take care of myself." She said and his brain ticked with anger.

"Pretend boyfriend. Are you crazy? Is that why you told your father I'm your date and best friend?" He shouted and she frowned in confusion.

Did she think he was going to have an open relationship with her? Was that what she meant by going with the flow? She better think again.

"What else am I supposed to introduce you as? Last time I checked, you're my friend." She said and gestured her hands out in question.

"Is this some sort of sick joke?" He shouted and stalk closer to her.

"You tell me!" She snarled.

"So when you kissed me and told me you loved me so much, it was all a joke?" He shouted and her glare loosened.

"What in tarnation are you talking about?" She asked.

He scoffed and said, "Go ahead and pretend."

"Ose, why would I kiss you? And if I did I sure would remember." She said softly.

It hit him then that she could have forgotten.

Could she have really forgotten?

No. God please.

"So after we left the club that night, you don't remember anything?" He asked.

"The last I remember is me asking if we could split the rent. What is going on Ose?"

He groaned and remembered the conversation she'd started in the taxi about picking up the tabs around the house since she had a job. She said she didn't want to be a loafer. Her over-familiarity had bred Seyifunmi's contempt.

"F*uck!" He swore and turned away from her.

She'd forgotten.

But if she had said she loved him while drunk and had kissed him, that meant that was how she truly felt.

He turned to face her.

"You kissed me that night, Rosanna." He said and her face turned pale. "You told me you loved me."

"Oh my God!" She cried. "Ose, I-"

"Ro, is that the truth?" He asked and walked closer to her.

"Ose, I love you but not in that sense. I-"

"Stop lying." He said and closed the gap between them.

"I'm not." She said, blinking.

Oh, she definitely loved him in that sense.

"Then why did you kiss me?"

"It was a mistake. I was drunk." She said and took steps backwards.

He took the same number of steps forward and said, "I don't think it was a mistake."

He launched his hand out and grabbed her waist. He dipped his head and kissed her.

She pressed her hands against his chest and tried pushing him. He didn't relent and her protests stopped. Her hand laxed against his chest and she whimpered against his lips. He deepened the kiss and she let out a little moan as her hands wrapped themselves around his neck.

Her tongue licked and danced with his as she took over the kiss. He let her as his hands rode upward to the breasts he couldn't stop thinking about.

His hands grazed the sides of her breasts and she moaned into his mouth. Her hands caressed his head in response as his moved down to pull her blouse out of her pants so he could touch her bare skin.

He tugged the chiffon blouse out and she jerked away and skittered out of their steamy embrace.

"Oh my God!" She cried in horror.

"Ro-" He said and moved closer to her. She moved back with tears in her eyes.

"Please stay back." She cried.

"Ro, let's talk about this." He pleaded. Her tears were bruising his heart.

"Ose, please. Just forget this happened. Please!" She cried.

"Rosanna, I can't. I won't. I can't forget the best kiss I've ever had. Let's talk about it. Please"

"No," she shouted, "Why are you so bent on turning this beautiful friendship into something-"

"Better?"

"Horrible." She stated.

"Don't be melodramatic. I love you,Ro." He said.

"Well, I don't. At least, not enough to be with you. Please. Just forget this." She said and ran to her room.

"Rosanna." He shouted after her. He walked to her room and banged on her door.

"Rosanna, come out and let's talk about this like adults." He shouted, banging on her door.

"Rosanna!"

He kept on shouting her name but she didn't answer.

Episode 25 - My babe.

Baby- Joeboy

Ose woke up and for the first time, the bustling and honking of cars on the roads outside his Agindigbin apartment didn't irritate him. He didn't wake up cursing his realtor for tricking him to pay for three years in advance.

He rolled out of bed to go and meet the woman he loved. Rosanna had told him she loved him. She told him that he was not just a friend to her and that there was a possibility of a future for them.

And that excited him more than anything. He knocked on her door.

"Come in." Her raspy voice answered.

He smiled and sauntered in. He met her sitting on the bed, facing a wall.

"Good morning." He chippered and she shushed him.

"Keep it down." She groaned. "I'm still waiting for the Advils to kick in."

He smirked and sat beside her. They sat silent for a few minutes and Ose wondered what was going on in her mind.

"About last night-" He started unable to keep the silence anymore.

She brought her finger to his lips to silence him.

"I don't want to talk about it. Let's just go with the flow." She said, smiling.

What did that mean?

She smiled and kissed his cheek. She stood and pulled him up.

"We still have flour, right?" She asked and he nodded.

"I'll make pancakes then."

She led him out of the room, still dressing in her black, sequined, mini dress.

Going with the flow? Did that mean they were a couple already?

******
Rosanna jumped as hands wrapped themselves around her waist. She giggled as she heard Ose's voice thank her for dinner.

"You're welcome." She said, with her hands still rubbing the grime away from the dishes.

For the past one week, Ose had been extra expressive of his emotions around her and always seeking an excuse to touch her.

Hugging her, brushing his arms against hers, holding her hands, kissing her cheek. At first, she'd thought it weird but she shrugged it off. And then, he was always so happy. If she didn't know better, she'd think he was in love with her.

Maybe it was the upcoming book launch. And she'd made it to the dedication page. He claimed she was his muse. But there was nothing inspirational about her.

She was just a heartbroken filly.

"What time is the book launch tomorrow?" She asked as he pulled away.

"Three. Are you sure you don't want me to pick you up?" He asked and crossed his arms across his chest as he leaned against the wooden counter.

She shook her head.

"I'll have to come back home to change. I'll just meet you there." She said and drained the sink.

She stacked the washed dishes back in the sink for rinsing. She turned and met Ose staring at her.

"What?!" She cried laughing.

"You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." He said with his voice deep.

She burst into laughter and said, "Save the corny lines for your next romance scene."

He frowned and said, "What if I come up with a unique line?"

"Then you can try it on me then."

"Challenge accepted."


******
Rosanna smoothed out her lapis coloured cullotes as she climbed out of the Uber she took to the event center. She hoped she was dressed okay. She'd sold most of designer wears along with all her jewellery to raise funds for the half a million dollars fee the illegal transplant hospital asked for.

She brought her hand to the cylindrical, gold pendant sitting on her sternum. Dare had given her the necklace and it was the only piece of authentic jewellery she owned. The rest were just costume jewellery she'd bought whenever something in Aboki Yusuf's showcase caught her fancy and she could afford to splurge on it.

Anyway, this was just a book launch. Not a movie premiere.

She strode into the building and met usherettes, one of whom led her to the hall where the book launch was being hosted. Stand banners and tripod posters with the cover of Ose's new book, Cozenage, adorned the front of the hall.

A doorman with matching black and red outfit as the usherettes pulled open the glass door and she smiled her thanks.

She walked in and took in the medium sized hall. Gold draperies ran the sides of the hall with black and red balloon decorations dotted the hall. The room was decorated with accents of gold, black and red, the predominant colours on Ose's book cover.

She walked to the nearest vacant cocktail table. She set down her black clutch and looked around for Ose. She caught a few people she worked with FDL publishing. She sighed as she remembered her father. She hoped she wouldn't run into him. She could just imagine his smug look once he found out she wasn't married.

She reached up to touch the pendant again. She missed him.

She bit her lip to berate herself. She was here to celebrate with Ose and not mourn her dead fiancé. She continued her search for Ose and found him at the end of the hall signing books.

She smiled. She was proud of him.

"What's a lovely girl like you doing here alone?" A baritone voice asked from her side and she turned to face the man.

She smiled and said, "I'm with the author."

The man dropped his wine glass and stretched out his hand.

"Desmond Okoye, I write for Litertain Magazine." He said.

She studied his ringed hand with a Free Mason signet ring on his index finger.

"Free Mason?" She asked.

He smirked in surprise. "Just a fan of National Treasure."

She grinned and said with an accent, "Dr. Abigail Chase. Nice to meet you treasure hunter."

"Will you hand me the Declaration of Independence after you tell me your real name?" He said.

She giggled and shook his hand, "Rosanna Amaechi. And no, I won't."

"Don't you want to see the Ortendorf Cipher?" He asked and let her hand go.

She giggled again and said with the accent, "I have seen the Declaration of Independence and there is no treasure map on the back of the Declaration of Independence."

"It's invisible." The man quoted back and she laughed again.

"So what do you do when you're not quoting National Treasure?" Desmond asked, smiling.

"I edit the fashion section of Today's Woman magazine." She said and stopped a passing waiter and took a glass of wine.

"Wow!" Desmond cried in astonishment. "Well, I'm not really surprised. You look stunning."

"Stunning's stretching it." Her white, sleeveless, v-necked blouse, tucked into lapis coloured cullotes, paired with matching blue strappy, heeled sandals wasn't exactly stunning.

"Beauty's in the eye of the beholder and to me, you're the most beautiful woman in the room." Desmond said.

"Are you always this flirtatious?"

"Depends. Is it working?"

"You wish." She said and turned to look at Ose. He was still busy signing books.

"My best friend's the author. I want to go say hi." She said and turned to face Desmond.

"Well, then. I can't leave a pretty lady to go on her own. Don't mind if I escort you?"

Rosanna raised her brow and then shrugged.

Episode 25 - Apologies.

Seyifunmi knocked on Tinu's door, hoping the lady wouldn't slam the door in her face. She had been so stupid. Dele had informed her that Tinu had been the interior decorator that designed the house to her taste.

She couldn't imagine how bad Tinu felt as she hurled those words at her. She just hoped she could get a chance to apologise. The door opened and Grace smiled at her.

"Aunty Seyifunmi, hope no problem." Grace asked.

She gulped and said, "I want to see Tinu. Please."

Grace smile waned and she tsked, "Sorry, she's already sleeping."

Seyifunmi sighed and nodded. "Thank you. I'll come back tomorrow to check on her."

Grace shrugged and said, "Okay. Bye bye."

The lady shut the door and she heard the clicking on the locks and deadbolt.

This was so much easier in her head. Well, nobody said giving the apology would be easy. She'd just have to be quick and persistent, before Dele found out what she'd done.

Remembering he was still waiting for her downstairs and that she'd lied that she forgot her phone upstairs, she rushed to the elevators.


*******

The DJ's got us falling in love - Drake

Rosanna yelled in excitement as she pulled him through the throng of dancers to the bar. She'd just gotten a job as an editor for Today's Woman magazine thanks to one of Ose's avid fans who worked in their HR department.

He insisted they go out to celebrate and the drinks were on her. She hopped onto one of the barstools and he did the same. She signalled the bartender who was mixing up drinks for a bevy of teen-looking ladies and performing some circus worthy stunts to impress the drunk,giggly girls. One of them kept sticking her buxom breasts out and Rosanna just hoped she wouldn't be losing their virginity in the bathroom stall of a nightclub.

"What can I get you?" Another bartender yelled over the earsplitting music.

"A cosmopolitan and," Rosanna told the man and then turned to Ose, "what do you want?"

"Tequila shots." He said and the bartender nodded and left.

"Tequila shots? You make me seem like a lightweight." Rosanna jived and clapped on the counter in excitement.

"Well, you are a lightweight." Ose jived back laughing.

"Me? A lightweight?" She cried in mock insult.

"How many times has Seyifunmi had to drag your drunk ass back to your apartment?" Ose said smiling and then cringed at her withered smile. "Sorry, I named she-who-must-not-be-named."

"I told you. I don't want to hear that b*itch's name again." She called in an exasperated sigh.

"But you guys-"

The bartender returned with their drinks and she grabbed hers and yelled, "Look, we came here to celebrate my new job and how awesome my new bestie is."

She pinched his cheek, smiling. "You know you're like a 110 on a scale of one to ten. You're amazing."

Ose sighed as she raised her glass.

"To Fejirose David Lawrence."

She took a sip and waited for him to pick up his drink.

"You know where I'm from, when someone proposes a toast to you and you don't drink, it's saying something." Rosanna drawled with a Western accent.

The corner of his lips curled up and he picked up his shot.
"If you're gonna quote Pearl Harbor, do it right." He said and downed the shot.

"Everyone's a critic." She quipped and took another gulp of her drink.

She finished her drink and decided to prove to Ose she wasn't a lightweight. She ordered for tequila shots, salt and lime wedges. By her fourth shot, she was already tipsy.

"Ose, you know, I've always thought Seyifunmi to be my sister. You know." She drawled.

Ose raised his brow and shook his head.

"I think we better leave. You're already wasted."

"I think you're talking about you." She said and downed her fifth shot and whooped loudly. "I wanna dance."
She hopped down the stool and stretched her hand out. "C'mon."

Ose shook his head and she pouted.

"The day is young, Fejirose. Don't be a sourpuss, a killjoy, a negative Nancy, a-"

Ose opened his mouth to speak just as a few ladies rushed to him with their phones.

"Oh my God, you're him." One of them cried.

"Can we take a couple of selfies?" Another yelled and Ose nodded grinning.

The girls gathered round him, and raised their phones and began clicking away.

Rosanna felt a bitter feeling roll up her belly and she wanted to yank away the girls one by one with their fibre-active, cheap hair extensions. She rubbed her arms and shook her head.

Why was she bothered? Ose was just her friend and he deserved to be celebrated by his fans. She stalked away to the floor and began writhing in rhythm to the music.

A guy danced up to her and they began dancing together. She turned around and began grinding against him.

Okay. Where did that come from?

She shooed her rationality away and continued dancing with the guy. She spun to face the guy and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Right before his placed his hands around her waist, Ose yanked her away from the guy.

"Get your hands away from my babe." Ose yelled at the guy, who snorted and left to find another partner.

This wasn't the first time Ose had called her that. They'd always acted as a couple to scare off advances from the opposite sex.

Her reason primarily was that she wasn't ready to move on from Dare. She never knew Ose's. Maybe like her, he wasn't ready to move on from the woman he loved.

"Ose, you didn't have to do that." She whined. She actually liked the man she'd been dancing with. He was easy on the eyes and maybe she could have….

What?! Her rationality shouted at her.

She sighed and said, "I need a drink."

*****
Five more shots and she was as drunk as Dionysus. He wondered what her problem was. She knew she was a lightweight, and she liked drinking till she forgot which way was up.

"Ose, I think I'm drunk." She cooed into his neck. Her raspy voice made his hair stand on end and the feel of her smooth thighs on his hand made him want to explore more of that silkiness.

He took a deep breath and tried to erase his imagination of what she looked like underneath the sequined mini gown she had on. He twisted to unlock her door and kicked it open.

He walked to her bed and set on knee on it as he slowly placed her on the soft mattress.

"We're home, already?" She whined.

"Yep." He said and smoothed the pillow under her head.

He made to stand but was pulled back. His eyes looked down and he saw Rosanna's slender hands holding the collar of his white and orange stripped shirt.

"Ro?" He called with his heart pounding loudly and his blood rushing like the waves of a high tide.

"Don't go. Please." She begged with her voice scratching, her chest rising and falling so heavily and her eyes half closed.

If he stayed, he'd be in the valley of evil. Not with his concupiscence for her, not with the salacious thoughts of her in his mind, not with the dirty things he'd fantasized about since he felt her soft breasts against him.

He willed himself not to look down and stare at her face.

Bad idea.

His eyes skimmed over her luscious, brown skin. The bright, fluorescent security light from outside illuminated the room and he got a perfect view of her hooded eyes, her pointed nose and sinfully, plump lips.

"Rosanna, I have to go." He said.

Please.

He didn't want to do something she'd regret. He didn't want to take advantage of her. She was too pure for him. Too good for him.

He tried to move but her grip remained intact.

"Ose, I love you." She said.

He groaned inwardly and wished she would stop saying that.

"Yeah. I know. You tell me everyday." He gritted and tried to pry off her hands. "Go to sleep. I want to sleep."

"I love you, so much, Ose." She said and pressed her lips to his.

Ose bent there, still with his eyes widened in shock. Her supple lips moved against his and she licked the seam of his mouth. He groaned in pleasure and gave her access.

He moved his lips against hers and relished the taste of tequila, cranberry and lime on her tongue. Her kisses grew sloppy and her hands dropped from his collar.

He heard her light breathing and laughed. She'd fallen asleep.

Ochyglowsglows:
Millie, it's the same update you posted yesterday o. Seems you made a mistake.

Oh... I wasn't sure if it got uploaded.

I honestly don't know what the spambot has against me.



Anyway, here's the update.


Episode 23 - Our Perfect Place.

Seyifunmi's mouth formed into an O as she took in the double stairs that led upstairs. The banisters had dark wood handles and ornate metalwork depicting a garden. She'd seen something similar once on Pinterest.

The flooring was made of marble. Real marble. And the door behind her was solid oak.

She looked up and a sparkly chandelier beamed down at her.

"Are we meeting somebody important?" She asked and turned to Dele.

He smiled and grabbed her hand and led her up the stairs.

"Dele, we're trailing in water." She whispered.

"The help will get it." He answered.

She followed him past the hallway with different sculptures and paintings arrayed on the wall and tables.

He stopped in front of a door and said, "Surprise," and pushed the door open.

Seyifunmi took small steps in, expecting to meet someone. The empty room made her gasp and cover her mouth.

"Ohmigod!" She cried as she walked in. "This is my-"

She couldn't finish the sentence as she spun to feel bedding on the king-sized canopy bed.

Egyptian cotton.

She felt the Walnut wood posts and the silk drapes. She walked to the bedside table and ran long fingers across the top. A few meters away was a set of double shuttered doors. She pulled them open and gasped as she walked into the closet with enough shelves and racks to start a boutique and a huge dresser. She continued down the walkway that led away from the cylindrical room to the bathroom.

Tears pricked her eyes as she saw the clawfoot tub she'd pinned on her Dream House board. The shower stall was the same as her pin. Everything was the same save for the dark grey floor tiles.

She turned and saw Dele behind her smiling.

"This is amazing." She said, breathless.

"If you think this is amazing, then you need to check out the kitchen." Dele said and her eyes sparkled with excitement.

He led her out of the room and took her round the house. By the time they were done with the tour, Seyifunmi had cried off what was left of her foundation that the sprinklers didn't wash off.

She kissed him after he climbed into the Rolls-Royce.

"Thank you for everything, Dele. I'm overwhelmed." She said.

He beamed back at her.

"No need to thank you. This is going to be our palace." He said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"That reminds me. We never finished our conversation about the number of children we wanted." She said and pulled away.

"As many as we can make." He responded.

She smirked and raised the barrier between them and Arnold.

"We better get started then." She said and kissed him.


*******
Tinu unlocked the door and walked in expecting to hear her children's screams. She met the house empty and sighed. They were still at their grandma's birthday get together.

She had gone out and stayed as long as she could away, hoping they'd be done by the time she got back. Apparently, not.

She contemplated staying in the house till they finished. She shook her head in rejection. If mummy found out she was home while the party was still ongoing, she'd be offended. She sighed again and hoped she wouldn't have to interact with Seyifunmi. If not, she might not be able to resist the impulse to slap her.

She strode out of flat and locked the door behind her. She crossed the hallway and knocked on the door opposite what would no longer be her apartment.

She had everything packed and Délé's mum and her husband left on their trip, she'd leave with her children.

Just a little more acting.

Omotunde opened the door and beamed at her.

"Aunty Tinu, welcome. We are just about to open the gifts." Omotunde chippered.

Since morning?

"We waited for you before we started, but you didn't come on time." Omotunde continued and locked the door behind her.

Tinu sighed and walked to the living room. She met Elsa sitting surrounded by gifts and Donald sitting beside her. Temi and Tomini were sitted on the wooden coffee table while Chris and Reggie sat on the nearest sofa beside Grace. Seyifunmi leaned over their sofa with Dele perched on another sofa.

"E kule o." Tinu greeted and the children ran to her shouting, 'Mummy, welcome.'

She hugged them to herself.

"Happy birthday, mummy." Tinu greeted.

"Thank you, my dear." Elsa answered, smiling.

"Good evening sir." She greeted Donald and the man smiled at her and told her, 'Welcome.'

She picked up Regina and walked to the nearest sofa. She sat and muttered a plastic greeting to Dele and Seyifunmi.

She caught the big, purple rock and her resolve to leave was settled. This was better for everyone.

Elsa instructed Omotunde to get some food for Tinu. Tinu declined but Elsa insisted.

"Grandma, open D.D's own next!" Chris shouted and Elsa smiled at him.

She unwrapped the gift paper and pulled out a red leather box. She flipped it open and gasped.

"Dele, this is beautiful." She said beaming at her son.

"I'm glad you like it, mum." Dele said, smiling. The woman set down the box.

She picked up a long cuboid and Seyifunmi said, "That's from me, mum."

Elsa beamed as she unwrapped the gift. She met a gift box of six yards of green and amber, Adire dyed satin material.

"Wow! Thanks." Elsa said.

"You're welcome, ma." Seyifunmi responded.

Tinu looked on passively and willed the time to go faster, so it would be polite enough to excuse herself.

Elsa picked up an envelope, which was her own gift to the lady. The woman had talked non-stop on going on a cruise and Tinu had decided to gift her two tickets for a Caribbean cruise.

The woman tore open the envelope and gasped at the tickets.

"Donald, they're tickets to a Caribbean cruise." She yelled slapping his arm in excitement. "I've always wanted to go on a cruise."

She turned to Tinu and said, "Tinu, thank you so much."

"It's nothing ma. Happy birthday, once again, ma." Tinu replied as Omotunde handed her a plate of jollof rice and fried rice with grilled chicken. The food had that fast food smell and she couldn't help but wonder if they'd bought the food from one.

She felt a tummy rumble and decided not to punish herself and eat.

"It's our turn now." Tomini yelled in excitement and Temi rushed to get his small keyboard and Grace stood to help them set the keyboard up.

"What's happening?" Elsa asked and turned to face her.

"Me, I don't know o." Tinu said and continued eating, all the while feeding a greedy Regina.

Temi, Tomini and Chris took their positions and Temi sound-tested the keyboard.

"Grandma, happy birthday. And this is our gift to you. It's a song that says how we feel about you. I hope you love it." Temi said and started playing the intro to the song.

Tomini cleared her throat and started singing.

It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart,

Without saying a word, you can light up the dark,

Try as I may I could never explain,

What I hear when you don't say a thing.

Temi joined her for the chorus and they harmonized the chorus.

The smile on your face let's me know that you need me,

There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me,

The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall.

You say it best, when you say nothing at all.

Tomini gasped and continued with the second verse while Temi continued on the keyboard with Chris humming and oohing and echoing a few lyrics.

All day long I can hear people talking out loud (ooh)

But when you hold me near (you hold me near)

You drown out the crowd (drown out the crowd),

Try as they may they can never define,

What's being said between your heart and mine.

The three of them continued the chorus in a Melody and they ended the song.

Tinu beamed at them and turned to see Elsa crying.

"That's the best gift I've ever received." Elsa wheezed, crying.

"Abeg, Omotunde, go and bring bucket so she can fill it." Donald said. "I thought you said you're not crying today."

Elsa glared at him and smiled at her grandchildren.

"Thank you. All of you. Come and hug grandma." Elsa cried and the children ran into her arms.

"God bless you for me." She prayed and squeezed the three of them as Dele and Seyifunmi cheered their performance.

Tinu felt the food in her mouth turn bitter as she realized in two weeks she'd be taking this woman's grandchildren away from her.

She sighed. It was all for the best.

She asked Chris to come take the rest of her rice. She'd lost her appetite.

....

peaonyx05:
wow!! I must confess that you re an exceptional writer�, always updating everyday and putting in wonderful twists. You re really doing a good job here.

I can't just understand what Seyifunmi's problem is. She is just having emotional insecurities. She doesn't listen to advice and just does whatever comes to her mind. It's like she is almost running mad about Dele� I just pray he doesn't marry her��

Thanks babe. Na lockdown mode o. I have nothing better to do.

Seyifunmi, see. They don't want you to marry Dele o.

Team DeMi.

Hope you love this goal.



Update later today if there's light.

Advantaged:
Overdrive
Seyi's mind is working on an overdrive
Truth is, many females (I'm a female by the way) think too much just like her and over act/react to things.
Conversation, trust, giving one the benefit of doubt is always key

Truth in details

Episode 22 - Will you marry me?

I don't care - Ed Sheeran ft Justin Bieber

Seyifunmi turned in bed and faced a sleeping Dele. Her small smile turned into a grin as she studied his features. His dark hair, caramel skin, broad nose and sexy lips were all features she could paint with her eyes closed. His dark long lashes kisses his cheeks as he slept.

She didn't even have lashes that long.

She brought her hand to the singular grey strand of hair on his beard and kissed it. She loved everything about this man and the most amazing part was that he loved her back.

The trip to Seychelles had been one step short of glorious. Seychelles had been on her bucketlist of places to go and Dele had helped her cross it off.


The island had been breathtaking and the water even more so. They had gone snorkeling and scuba-diving together. She'd even dare him to go ziplining with her. He had. And she'd never forget the ashen look on his face right before he vomited, after the ride.

She stifled a giggle as she remembered him throwing up at the deli they went to. Dele had ordered the chef's special afraid to order for himself after seeing Octopus curry on the menu. The waiter had asked him thrice if he was certain he wanted the chef's special. He had replied yes all three times and thought the waiter dense.

He'd been halfway through the meal when he called the waiter to confirm if it was actual venison, since he didn't think there were deer in Seychelles.

The waiter had told him it wasn't venison but fruit bat. She'd laughed her top of as Dele rushed out of the deli to throw up in the hedges. She'd followed him and videoed him throwing up. He threatened to kiss her with his vomit mouth if she didn't put her phone away.

Other than the two vomiting episodes, she had enjoyed the Creole and Indo-Seycheloise cuisine and the fresh fruits were to die for. The flora and fauna on the hiking trails and the famous archipelago were imprinted to her memory.

The scintillating moments they spent bar-hopping and dancing, she'd never forget. They'd won big at the roulette, lost a little at poker, eat by the beach side, made love on the beach. They'd cuddled together while seeing movies that made her cry and Dele had kissed her tears away.

The memory she'd treasure forever was when Dele gave her a promise ring he'd seen at a gift shop. It wasn't the fancy engagement ring she wanted but it mattered more than if the Hope diamond was placed on a twenty-four carat gold ring.

He had promised he'd never hurt her or give her a reason to doubt his love for her and that no matter what happened he'd never leave her.

Her eyes shimmered with tears as she recalled it.

"Loving the view?" He said with his eyes closed.

She giggled and said, "Yep, the ugliest thing I've ever seen."

He opened his eyes and smiled.

"Good morning." She greeted.

"Morning, babe." He answered and kissed her lips lightly and rolled out of bed.

The word babe reminded her of her confrontation with Tinu. She groaned. She'd been trying to reach Tinu to apologise but her number wasn't going through. She prayed she could apologise before Tinu reported her to Dele.

"Sore?" Dele asked, with a conceited grin on his face.

She bit her lip as she recalled the night before. Well, Dele was back in the game and she loved every second of it.

But she wasn't sore. She was going to be sorry if she didn't get through to Tinu.

"No. Just tired."

"Well, get your lazy ass up and get down to work. You have an emergency meeting, remember?" Dele said.

"Ugh!" She groaned.

Their trip had been cut short because of an emergency meeting that would happen in….

She turned to check the bedside table.

Apparently, two hours.

She sighed. Thank God, the meeting was at HQ and not in Unilag. She couldn't imagine having to drive down to the mainland in two hours.

Her stomach growled and Dele laughed.

"I'll order breakfast for that café you love. Get your ass in the bathroom. I wouldn't want you getting in trouble and cancelling on our date tonight." He said and dragged her feet out of bed.

"Stop!" She squealed. "I'm going!"

She kicked his hands off and strode into the bathroom wrapped in an oversized sheet, grumbling.

She ran back out and called him.

"Yes?" He asked as he picked up his phone from the bedside table.

"Is it possible to have the Rolls-Royce drop me off at work?" She said with a smirk on her face.

"You want to pepper Damilola?" He said with an eyebrow raised.

She nodded enthusiastically and grinning like a Chesire cat.

Dele shook his head, laughing.

"I'll tell Arnold to bring the car." He said and she squealed her thanks.

"I'll go deaf if you continue that." He said as she closed the bathroom door behind her.


*******
"Ayobamidele Oluwaseun Daramola, if I fall down, I swear I'll break your head." Seyifunmi threatened as she took another trembling footstep.

Dele chuckled and said, "I didn't ask you to put on six inched heels. Besides, I told you to remove them."

"Ehnehn." She whined and clutched his arm tighter as she took another footstep.

Where were they going? The black sleep mask didn't let her see anything at all. Plus, it was already night. After their dinner at the fancy-schmancy Yoruba cuisine restaurant he took her to, he'd hinted at another surprise.

She didn't know whether she could stand another surprise. The trip to Seychelles was worth a million surprises and the dinner, well, pretty overpriced, had the best peppered snails she'd ever eaten. Dele said he wanted to eat something he knew and she didn't mind. Their Ofada rice and Ayamase were on point and finger-licking good. She'd have to try and recreate their recipe in her free time.

She'd pressed him to give her hint as Arnold drove them to the estate where his 'surprise' was. As if she wasn't curious enough, he had to add the sleep mask to increase her tension. She was dying of suspense here.

"Okay, raise your leg here." Dele instructed and she took an unsure step on to the softer ground.

Is this grass?

Dele led her through more baby steps on the soft grass. She lost her footing and clutched Délé's arm tight enough to pierce through his guinea brocade blouse to stab his skin.

"Sorry." He said.

"Carry me. Please. I love these heels and I love my legs." She whined like a child begging for sweets.

"Carry ko. Carrier ni. You don't know you've added with all the breadfruit chips and grilled fish you were eating." Dele said and pouted.

She knew she'd put on a few kilos, what with all the Ladob she ate after every meal, but she didn't think he'd notice. She couldn't help it. It had the goodness of bananas and coconuts, two of her favorite fruits. She had managed to weasel out the recipe from one elderly, street vendor that had taken a liking to her.

She smiled as she remembered the man's threat.

Share my recipe and the spirits will come and haunt you.

"Okay. We're here." Dele said and they stopped.

"Finally." She cried. "Can I take it off now?"

"No. I have something to say first." Dele said.

"Okay. Get on with it. I'm so anxious to see my surprise." She said grinning.

He laughed and pulled away from her.

"Where are you going?" She called out in fear.

"I'm right here, Shay. Im not going anywhere." He said with his voice so portentous, she couldn't help but wonder if there was something more.

"Seyifunmi, we've been together for three years, ten months and-

"Seventeen days." She completed grinning.

"And every one of those days are days I will never trade for anything. You were beacon in the stormy days of my life, the days when only ElsaTech was my reason for living. You brought light into my life. I'd like to consider you my lucky charm. You brought my children back into my life-"

"Dele, I don't think I -"
Tears stung her eyes at his his words. She never believed Dele would actually be counting the time they've spent together.

"Please, let me finish. You're more to me than you give yourself credit for. Seyifunmi, I love you more than words can begin to describe. Seyifunmi, you're the first person I want to see in the morning and the last person I want to see at night-"

She gasped at the realization of where the speech was headed. Her tears slipped out of her eyes and into the poplin mask.

"I wanted to wait till the anniversary of the day we met to do this but loneliness has stretched my patience thin. I'm tired of waking up without you by my side. I'm tired of the Aladesuyi surname. I'm tired of your bare, left ring finger." He said and she let out a small sob.
He was finally doing it.

"I want the whole world to know you're mine. Seyifunmi, I'm not perfect. I have baggage. I'm probably oblivious to most things you want me to see" he said and she laughed nodding.

"I'll probably make you mad and angry. But I promise to love you more with each passing day. Remember the day we met, and the old man kept on droning on and on?"

She nodded, crying and laughing at the same time. The man's monotonous speech had driven her, together with half the hall to slumber. She fallen asleep and her head had lolled onto Délé's shoulder. She had jerked awake and apologised profusely. Four years later, they were here.

"Well, you said his wife who kept on clapping after his speech loved his droning. Seyifunmi, I want you to be the person who won't fall asleep when I speak at that age. Seyifunmi Aladesuyi, please take off the blindfold."

She obliged and blinked away the darkness. She didn't know which was more amazing. The expansive, manicured lawn, the mansion behind him, or the man on bended knee before her.

She squealed in tears as she took in the man holding a mauve, velvet cube. She saw a big, purple stone nestling in the white, satin lining of the box.

"Seyifunmi Oyindasola Aladesuyi," he said just as the sprinklers went off, "on our first date, it rained cats and dogs and I know this isn't rain but I promise to nourish our love each passing day like rain nourishes the earth. I promise to make you happy. This is sounding more like marriage vows than a proposal, isn't it."

She nodded crying with her hand clamped to her mouth.

"Well, will you marry me?" He asked with a nervous smile.

"Yes!" She whispered, sobbing. "I will marry you." She stretched out her hand and waited for him to do the honours.

He smiled widened to one of pure joy and he took the ring out and slid it onto her quivering finger. He stood and she flung herself against him and kissed him.

"Took you long enough." She said as she pulled away. She fluttered her lids under the heavy torrent of the sprinklers at full blast. "We should probably get out of here before you get a cold."

"I don't care." He said and kissed her again. He pulled away and carried her and spinned her around.

She giggled loudly as he screamed, "She said yes."

She couldn't have planned it in a better fashion. This was the best. She'd waited and now, she was going to be married to the man she loved.

"I love you." He said as he slid her down his body.

"I love you too." She said.

Episode 21- Romantic Getaway.

Romantic - Korede Bello ft Tiwa Savage.

Seyifunmi stared in awe at the Rolls Royce parked at the parking lot of the hub. What was Dele up to? After she'd rolled out of bed, she'd gotten a text from Dele that he'd be sending a driver to pick her up from work and not to bother packing any clothes. The university was closed for a week and she'd be practically jobless. Dele had told her to clear her schedule for the coming week and she obliged. It wasn't like she had anything better to do.

When she imagined the car and driver, she didn't expect a Rolls-Royce and a uniformed driver. The man held open the door and she smiled and said into the plush leather seat of the vehicle.

This is going to be interesting.

She asked the man where they were heading and the man told her he was instructed not to disclose. She hummed her acquiescence.

She brought out her to call Dele to make sure she wasn't being kidnapped by a rich psychopath.

"Hello, Dele. What's going on?" She asked.

"It's a surprise." He answered.

"Just so we're clear, you sent a Rolls-Royce, right?" She asked staring at the driver's profile, committing it to memory. Just in case she had to describe her kidnapper.

"Yes."

"Okay then," she sighed in relief. "Surprise away."

"I'll see you soon. Bye." Dele said.

"Bye." She said and hung up.

She looked out the window and caught students staring at the vehicle in awe as it drove past. She smiled, wondering what Dele had planned.

She snuggled her head against the headrest as her eyes grew heavy. Who knew plush vehicles helped with sleep?

She told herself she'd only sleep for a few minutes. By the time she woke up, the driver was pulling the vehicle up into an airstrip.

She shook her head to get out of her haze and asked the driver, "Where am I?"

The man smiled and said, "At the airport."

She looked out the window and saw Délé's form clad in blue jeans and a grey cardigan with black, wayfarer shades leaning against an Audi SUV parked a few meters away from a….

Was that a private jet? When did he get the new car?

His face lit up as the driver pulled the car over. He sauntered towards the car and opened the vehicle.

"Hey beautiful." He said as he held out a hand and helped her out of the vehicle.

"Hey Ugly." She jived back beaming at him. "What's going on here?"

She squinted at him with her lips spread in a toothy grin. Her weave billowed in the wind and she pulled a couple of strands behind her ear.

"I'm whisking you away on a getaway." He said grinning.

"But I don't have any clothes and-"

"All taken care of."

"My passport? How did you-"

"I have my ways." He said smiling back at her confused face.
Seyifunmi sighed and said, "Then whisk me away, Prince Charming."

He chuckled and said, "Right this way, fair maiden."

He linked his arm with hers and led them to the private jet.

She was wowed by the opulent, ochre leather chairs and varnished Maplewood tables and paneling. Television screens were hooked up to each table. Bright, fluorescent, LED lights ran the lengths of the panels and the lights bounced off the tops of the shiny brown tables.

A long, ochre sofa sat opposite of row of chairs housing a sea of coffee brown throw pillows.

She met a dark, lean,natty woman smiling by the entrance. Her makeup was minimalist and her black, glossy weave was pulled into a tight ballerina bun. Her baby blue shirt was starched and neat pressed to a crisp. The traveler's creases on her long sleeves and collar were sharper than katana blades and her neck was covered with a navy scarf knotted to perfection. Her black, pencil skirt hugged her hips and stopped about half inch above her knees. Her long legs sheathed in dark, sheer stockings and her feet were encased in black, patent leather pumps.

Her smile seemed too cheery and didn't match her stiff outfit. She stood in a fig leave position exemplifying the ready-to serve attitude FAs in commercials had.

"Good afternoon madam. Good afternoon sir. My name is Carol and I'll be your flight attendant today." The lady greeted with an accent Seyifunmi couldn't place.

Dele tugged her stupefied form lightly and led her to the one of the tables. They sat in the chairs and soon the pilot announced take-off. The FA instructed they buckle their seatbelts and they obeyed.

Before she knew it, they were in the air and they took off their belts.


The lady returned and asked for their order.

Too much in awe to speak, Seyifunmi let Dele order for her. Carol took their orders and left them alone.

He snapped his fingers in front of her face and she snapped out of her daze. He chuckled at her reaction.

"Am I dreaming?" She whispered.

"No." He answered as Carol returned with a chiller filled with ice and a magnum of champagne. She set down two flutes in front of them and poured in the bubbly.

"Thank you." Dele said and Carol nodded and smiled.
She dropped the bottle back in the chiller and left again.

"Please, what's going on?" Seyifunmi asked with her face scrunched up in confusion. "The Rolls-Royce was already shocking. Now, a private plane. Do you own this or what? And the Audi too? Are they yours or-"

"Calm down." He said, putting an end to her rambling.

"I told you it's a getaway. Yes, I own the Rolls-Royce and the Audi. The jet as well. I inherited it from my adopted father." He said and her jaw dropped.

"W-w-w-what? H-h-how? But you, never acted like you had all this… wealth." She sputtered. He lived in an average condo. He rode old models of cars. And now he's springing up Rolls-Royces, Audis, uniformed drivers and private jets? Just how much was ElsaTech raking in?

"Well, wealth whispers." He said and lifted his glass. "To us?"

She smiled and lifted hers as well. "To us." She accepted.

He beamed back at her and took a sip of his champagne. She mirrored his actions and revelled in the taste of the champagne.

She sighed and said, "Where are we going?"

"Surprise." He answered.

She raised her brow and said, "What's the occasion?"

"Surprise."

She groaned and he laughed.

"Tell me. How was your day?" He asked reclining in his seat.

She sighed. "Same old. Damilola's transfer to the hub is grating my nerves with each passing day. I can't stand that b*itch, but she's good at her work, so I can't stand her."

Her nasty attitude was bad enough. She got proposed to by the madman that saw her worth dating and the harpy had been rubbing her lousy plated gold and twenty-five point fake diamond ring in her face.

She couldn't blame the im*becile. She had been dating Dele long before Damilola met her Mr. Right. And now, she got the ring before her.

She hissed. What was Délé's problem gan sef? Was she not wife material enough for him? Or was she more of shag and take on trips on fancy planes?

She sighed. Dele wasn't that kind of guy.

Or was he?

She wasn't exactly sure. Not since he affair with Tinu. She wasn't sure she knew him anymore.

"Hey!" He called in concern. "Why are you crying? What did Damilola say this time?" He asked frowning.

She gasped in shock and touched her face.

She was crying?

She felt a sob hit her throat as Dele wiped her tears off with his hands. The same hands he touched Tinu with.

She pulled away and broke into a fit of tears.

"Seyifunmi, what's going on?" Dele called.

"Dele, is there anything you want to tell me?" She sobbed.

He frowned in confusion.

"Seyifunmi, what are you talking about?" He reached out to touch her but she pulled away.

She couldn't imagine him touched her with the same hands he held Tinu with. Did he do all the things she loved to Tinu with those hands?

She sobbed harder as she pictured him making love to Tinu. Acid rose to throat and she did the Herculean task of gulping it down.

Why didn't she see it sooner? This trip, everything, was just an apology. Not a romantic getaway but the most distasteful apology she could think off.

"Dele, if you have something to say then say it. If you want to apologise, then do it like a man and stop hiding behind this grotesque gesture." She howled in pain.

How long had he been sleeping with her? That day she'd called him up at Tinu's place and he didn't pick on time, was it because he was busy making love to her?

She sobbed harder as the question came to her mind.

Was he just f*ucking her or he made love to her?

Was he still in love with Tinu?

Was she just he rebound girl? Something to pass the time because Tinu was married. No wonder he was so determined to get Tinu out of jail. And now she was free, there was no need for Seyifunmi.

"Oh God!" She cried in horror.

"Seyifunmi, is there something I should apologise for?" He asked.

"You won't still admit it!" She whispered shaking her head.

"Seyifunmi, I'm so confused right now." Dele said scratching his head.

"I know about your affair with Tinu." She said and rather than the look of shock and shame she expected, Dele raised a brow in confusion.

"What the f*uck are you talking about?!" Dele said with his voice going up a notch.

"Do not take that tone with me. I heard your conversation loud and clear."

"Babe, I know you're waiting for me at the hotel. I'm sorry but Seyifunmi won't leave the house and I'm running out of excuses to give her. You know I have what you want. If somebody gives you a few minutes of control, you will be doing anyhow. Your please Dele will be like music to my ears." She said mimicking his voice.

She saw realisation coat his face and her hurt deepened.

"Do you need me to go on? Or should I play it out on my Dictaphone, so you can hear what a bastard you are?" She shouted.

"I gave you four years of my life. Four years of loving you and being faithful. And this is what you do?" She shouted in tears and Dele burst into laughter.

She raised her brow as he guffawed and chortled banging his hand on the table in rib-splitting laughter.

"If you don't stop laughing, I'll break the bottle and stab you with it!" She shouted and his laughter reduced into chuckles.

He raised his head and wiped the tears away from his eyes.

"Seyifunmi Aladesuyi, you never cease to amaze me." He said still shaking with laughter. "So you can get jealous?"

"What are you saying?"

"It's such a beautiful color on you. Funny too." He said.

"Don't try to change this into what it is not. I know what I heard and-"

"Shut up and listen to my explanation of the one-sided conversation you heard."

She glared at him and kept mum.

"Tinu inherited a hotel at Badagry fro her husband and we've been working on trying to sell it off. Last week, we found a buyer who wanted to see the property. Tinu wanted me to come along and help with the negotiations. I couldn't leave the house because you'd be pestering me about how long I'd be gone and I've been busy with a project and I've been using Tinu as an excuse. So if I told you I wanted to go see Tinu again, I knew your paranoid mind would misinterprete it. Like you did now.

"Tinu was supposed to take me to a factory where I'd get coconut water for my dehydrated self. Timi said the dehydration caused the no show of the little guy down there. In return for her help, Tinu wanted me to bring her moringa leaves from the tree that grows in my compound." Dele explained.

What? That is it?

"What about the keys to the hotel room and-"

"The keys weren't room keys. They were the keys to the project I was working on." Dele said.

"Ohh!"

Her stiff spine relaxed and she melted in relief.

"Yeah. Ohh!" Dele said laughing. "I swear, you're crazy."

"Yeah, I really am. I'm sorry." She said, contrite.

"It's okay. At least, you came to me first and didn't go and pull Tinu's hair or something." Dele said, just as Carol came forward with their food.

Oh my God! What have I done?